The Social Housing Act's impact on Housing Recruitment

The Social Housing (Regulation) Act became law in April 2024. It is a landmark legislation which aims to transform the social housing sector in England. Its purpose is to ensure social housing providers deliver high-quality, safe and accountable services to their tenants and residents. 

The act is regulated by an independent body, and has ushered in several key changes for the housing industry. It has also introduced a number of challenges. Some parts of the act have now come into force, however, some are still at the consulting stage. As we move forward into 2025, it will be important to be aware of how these will  impact your organisation.

Key updates

One important update is the Housing Ombudsman Service's Complaint Handling Code. Social landlords are obliged by law to adhere to the code, which has been implemented to improve landlord-tenant relationships. This is so that residents can raise a complaint if things go wrong, and the complaint is handled promply and effectively. As well as the existing Governance and Financial Viability gradings, a third Consumer grade award now measures how well a landlord can demonstrate compliance with the newly revised standards.

Another update has been the long awaited Awaab's Law. This legislation came into force in July 2024, and requires social landlords to address health hazards in homes, such as damp and mould, within specific timeframes. The upcoming Renters Rights Bill will see this law extend to the private rental sector, creating a uniform standard of living conditions for renters across England and Wales.

In February 2025, the Procurement Act 2023 comes into into effect. This legislation aims to simplify the bidding process and and increase transparency of commercial frameworks, whilst creating more opportunities for buyers and suppliers. 

In line with all the above changes, social housing managers will need to be qualified under a professional standards framework. The framework will give more powers to the Regulator of Social Housing to intervene in certain cases where standards are not sufficiently met. This can include poor performance or misconduct, with fines being imposed if necessary. In certain cases, it could also result in the appointment of new managers.

Increased demand for professional skills

The framework has been developed by the Chartered Institute of Housing and the Regulator of Social Housing. It sets out the skills, knowledge and behaviours social housing managers must demonstrate to successfully fulfil their roles.

It won’t only be housing managers who will be affected by the changes. In light of the new statute, there will be an increase in demand for professional skills and talent iacross a number of key areas:

Compliance

 For social housing providers, working within the new regulatory frameworks and codes of practice will require key skills and competences. There will be an incerased demand for compliance specialists in order to adhere to all of  the new standards.

Housing Services

Social housing professionals will need to have up to date skills, experience and knowledge. This will ensure they can deliver the high-quality service expected for residents across a variety of areas. This includes dealing with complaints, as well as providing advice and support to tenants and residents.

Executive and Board

Effective communication across the Housing Executive and with other partners will be another vital component. As well as addressing the priority needs of vulnerable and homeless people across our communities, It will also support teams to meet tougher standards and targets.

Development and Delivery

Housing providers need to deliver a top-quality service, especially in areas with the greatest need. Organisations will need skilled leaders to maintain high standards whilst developing and executing ambitious plans for new and existing homes.

Technical

There is already a high-demand property maintenance skills, and this is set to increase over the coming year. These currently centre predominantly around repairs, improvements and safety checks. Effective management of contractors and suppliers will also be set to increase further in light of the new legislation.

Environmental

There is now an increase in demand for environmental and sustainability specialisms in housing. These include energy efficiency, design & engineering and carbon capture. We are also seeing an increase in green retrofitting, and this will continue to grow through 2025 as the new standards are implemented.

Digital

Digital skills are increasing in tandem with the new legislative measures. Data collection, and analysis and interpretation of data housing performance, will be a big theme through 2025. Customer satisfaction, sustainability targets and analysis of market trends will also be skills in high-demand as we head forward.

Communications

It continues to be crucial to engage effectively with policy makers, media and the public to shape the housing agenda and advocate for the sector. There will also be an increase in the use of software, applications and devices to make improvements. This will help us to communicate, collaborate and deliver more streamlined services. It will also help to drive positive engagement across our organisations.

Preparation is key

Housing providers across the UK will need to be ready to address the existing and upcoming challenges Having the right talent attraction and professional development strategy will be crucial.

Utilising the guidance and support of an expert housing employment and people development consultancy will help you to successfully navigate through the next phase.

To make sure you are ahead of the game and well prepared for the upcoming challenges, talk to our team about how we can support your people strategy.